Lesson 1: This lesson introduces students to the focus of the unit which is the impact of waste- plastic bags on the natural environment. During this lesson students will discuss and interpret the message behind the BYOBAGS TV commercial and explore the Planet Ark website to gain environmental content knowledge. In particularly students will gain understanding on how people and waste (plastic bags) interact and impact on the natural environment, whilst developing research, reading, talking and listening skills as they explore the web and other media. Lesson 2: In lesson 2 students will form sustainability groups which they will work in across the unit ultimately creating a persuasive campaign to encourage NSW residents to ban plastic bags. During the lesson students will build environmental content knowledge by watching a Behind the News (BTN) video. In addition they will be analysing the variety of multimodal features used within the video news report and suggesting ways in which these features help create meaning, This video will be a model for the groups' final multimodal text.
Lesson 3: This lesson aims to provide students with the background information required to jointly construct an exposition in lesson five. Students will be broken into groups (organised by the teacher to ensure that these groups are different to the ‘sustainability groups’) to complete a ‘jigsaw’ activity. Each group will receive a different written text and are required to discuss the content of each. After the assigned time, students will then form their ‘sustainability groups’ and share the new information with the other members. Students will then collate their information, perhaps in a booklet or mind map (which will be used for lesson four and five).
Lesson 4:This lesson is focused on developing students understanding of the structure of exposition texts. The lesson will reaffirm students understanding of the structure of an exposition (i.e. background, statement of position, series of arguments and reinforcement of position). There will be a focus on the use of factual statements and opinion (Affect) statements and how they can be used in a persuasive manner.
Lesson 5:During this lesson students will jointly construct an exposition in their sustainability groups. Students will be required to use and apply the knowledge they learnt in lessons three (from the written texts about plastic bags) and four (apply the use of fact and opinion information to their written exposition). Their task is to construct a persuasive argument that is titled ‘NSW should say NO to Plastic Bags’. This exposition will then be used as the foundation for the audio of their final multimodal text.
Lesson 6: Within this particular lesson, students will have the opportunity to draw on their previous learning experiences (from earlier integrated units throughout the year), incorporating their deep knowledge of visual grammar into the design and creation of a visual image (using a digital camera). Students will be working in their 'sustainability groups', analysing and annotating an image with specific reference to effects of visual grammar elements which contribute to enhancing a response from a viewer. Through the knowledge acquired from earlier lessons in this Waste Management unit, students will utilise this information, essentially drawing upon persuasive arguments to support the ban of using plastic bags in NSW, through which will form the basis of their visual image. Ulitmately this lesson aims to promote students understanding of how meaning can be created through visual texts.
Lesson 7: Branching off from lesson 6, the focus of this lesson is to provide students with the opportunity to further explore the way in which meaning can be enhanced through manipulation of image and added text. In their groups, students will utilise the computer software program Photoshop, and manipulating the image created in lesson 6, such that they apply specific features to enhance the elements of visual grammar in order to promote the message behind the image. Students will also add text to their image in the form of a fact or opinion to further enhance meaning of the image. It is the intention that this final creation of the image will serve as an aspect for their final multimodal text.
Lesson 8: In lesson 8 students will work in their sustainability groups to plan the sequencing of their video. groups will be provided with a checklist of information/design features that must be included in the multimodal text, however, the structure and execution is left to the creativity of the groups, during this lesson hand-held video cameras and digital cameras will be available for groups to use in the creation of short video clips and photographs.
Lesson 9: This lesson is allotted to the making of the persuasive video campaign. students will be working in their sustainability groups to create this video using Jaycut software. they will be integrating voice overs (from written expositions - lesson 4), photographs (lesson 6 & 7), other appropriate visuals, text and audio to create the 2-4 minute multimodal text.
Lesson 10: This lesson will conclude the unit with a shared viewing of each sustainability group’s completed video campaign. During the sharing of videos, students will have the opportunity to respond and comment on each other’s multimodal text, whilst analysing the key concepts learnt throughout the unit, such as the visual and verbal grammar evident in the videos viewed. Concluding the lesson, students self and peer assess their video campaign and communally select one of the videos to be shown at the school assembly.
Summary of the unit of work Lesson 1 introduces the focus of the unit which is the impact of waste (particularly plastic bags) on the natural environment. Lesson 2 focuses on how meaning is made through multimodal texts. This lesson will provide students with key HSIE information whilst modeling how a combination of visuals, written text, audio and gestural features can work to communicate the intended message. The rick multimodal used in this lesson will serve as a direct example of the type of text students will produce across the course of this unit. Lessons 3-5 once again build on content knowledge with a specific focus on written grammar (structure of the exposition text type, fact and opinion statements). Lesson 6 focuses on elements of visual grammar and the way in which images can produce meaning. Lesson 7 extends from this exploring the way text and images can work in unison to enhance meaning. Students will also be able to create an aspect of their final multimodal text. Lessons 8 and 9 are centered on the development of the final text using Jaycut software, hand-held cameras, photo-shop etc. Lesson 10 will conclude the unit with a shared viewing of each group's completed video campaigns.
Lesson 1: This lesson introduces students to the focus of the unit which is the impact of waste- plastic bags on the natural environment. During this lesson students will discuss and interpret the message behind the BYOBAGS TV commercial and explore the Planet Ark website to gain environmental content knowledge. In particularly students will gain understanding on how people and waste (plastic bags) interact and impact on the natural environment, whilst developing research, reading, talking and listening skills as they explore the web and other media.
Lesson 2: In lesson 2 students will form sustainability groups which they will work in across the unit ultimately creating a persuasive campaign to encourage NSW residents to ban plastic bags. During the lesson students will build environmental content knowledge by watching a Behind the News (BTN) video. In addition they will be analysing the variety of multimodal features used within the video news report and suggesting ways in which these features help create meaning, This video will be a model for the groups' final multimodal text.
Lesson 3: This lesson aims to provide students with the background information required to jointly construct an exposition in lesson five. Students will be broken into groups (organised by the teacher to ensure that these groups are different to the ‘sustainability groups’) to complete a ‘jigsaw’ activity. Each group will receive a different written text and are required to discuss the content of each. After the assigned time, students will then form their ‘sustainability groups’ and share the new information with the other members. Students will then collate their information, perhaps in a booklet or mind map (which will be used for lesson four and five).
Lesson 4: This lesson is focused on developing students understanding of the structure of exposition texts. The lesson will reaffirm students understanding of the structure of an exposition (i.e. background, statement of position, series of arguments and reinforcement of position). There will be a focus on the use of factual statements and opinion (Affect) statements and how they can be used in a persuasive manner.
Lesson 5: During this lesson students will jointly construct an exposition in their sustainability groups. Students will be required to use and apply the knowledge they learnt in lessons three (from the written texts about plastic bags) and four (apply the use of fact and opinion information to their written exposition). Their task is to construct a persuasive argument that is titled ‘NSW should say NO to Plastic Bags’. This exposition will then be used as the foundation for the audio of their final multimodal text.
Lesson 6: Within this particular lesson, students will have the opportunity to draw on their previous learning experiences (from earlier integrated units throughout the year), incorporating their deep knowledge of visual grammar into the design and creation of a visual image (using a digital camera). Students will be working in their 'sustainability groups', analysing and annotating an image with specific reference to effects of visual grammar elements which contribute to enhancing a response from a viewer. Through the knowledge acquired from earlier lessons in this Waste Management unit, students will utilise this information, essentially drawing upon persuasive arguments to support the ban of using plastic bags in NSW, through which will form the basis of their visual image. Ulitmately this lesson aims to promote students understanding of how meaning can be created through visual texts.
Lesson 7: Branching off from lesson 6, the focus of this lesson is to provide students with the opportunity to further explore the way in which meaning can be enhanced through manipulation of image and added text. In their groups, students will utilise the computer software program Photoshop, and manipulating the image created in lesson 6, such that they apply specific features to enhance the elements of visual grammar in order to promote the message behind the image. Students will also add text to their image in the form of a fact or opinion to further enhance meaning of the image. It is the intention that this final creation of the image will serve as an aspect for their final multimodal text.
Lesson 8: In lesson 8 students will work in their sustainability groups to plan the sequencing of their video. groups will be provided with a checklist of information/design features that must be included in the multimodal text, however, the structure and execution is left to the creativity of the groups, during this lesson hand-held video cameras and digital cameras will be available for groups to use in the creation of short video clips and photographs.
Lesson 9: This lesson is allotted to the making of the persuasive video campaign. students will be working in their sustainability groups to create this video using Jaycut software. they will be integrating voice overs (from written expositions - lesson 4), photographs (lesson 6 & 7), other appropriate visuals, text and audio to create the 2-4 minute multimodal text.
Lesson 10: This lesson will conclude the unit with a shared viewing of each sustainability group’s completed video campaign. During the sharing of videos, students will have the opportunity to respond and comment on each other’s multimodal text, whilst analysing the key concepts learnt throughout the unit, such as the visual and verbal grammar evident in the videos viewed. Concluding the lesson, students self and peer assess their video campaign and communally select one of the videos to be shown at the school assembly.
Summary of the unit of work
Lesson 1 introduces the focus of the unit which is the impact of waste (particularly plastic bags) on the natural environment. Lesson 2 focuses on how meaning is made through multimodal texts. This lesson will provide students with key HSIE information whilst modeling how a combination of visuals, written text, audio and gestural features can work to communicate the intended message. The rick multimodal used in this lesson will serve as a direct example of the type of text students will produce across the course of this unit. Lessons 3-5 once again build on content knowledge with a specific focus on written grammar (structure of the exposition text type, fact and opinion statements). Lesson 6 focuses on elements of visual grammar and the way in which images can produce meaning. Lesson 7 extends from this exploring the way text and images can work in unison to enhance meaning. Students will also be able to create an aspect of their final multimodal text. Lessons 8 and 9 are centered on the development of the final text using Jaycut software, hand-held cameras, photo-shop etc. Lesson 10 will conclude the unit with a shared viewing of each group's completed video campaigns.